The Dallas daily herald. [volume] (Dallas, Tex.) 1873-1887, 1887-05-28

up from the bone for several inches.
The surgeon then proceeded with the
delicate task OF
CUTTING THE BONE
So as to fit the triangular excavations
made in the bone in the patients leg.
II was tedious work. because extra pre-
caution was taken that no condition
favorable to success was overlooked.
The bone was not as large as a human
bone but as all the bone in the patti
ent's leg was not gone it was deemed
of sufficient size. When the triangular
extension had been satisfactorily cut
the dog was laid on its back and firmly
strapped. Its leg was drawn to the
patients leg and the the bones were
united, the triangular pieces being
placed in the receptacles provided
for them.
The fit was only fair and some furth-
err cutting was done to make it rs per-
feet as possible. Bandages were put on
firmly around the patients and dogs
leg to hold them together, so that
movement was impossible. The dog
remained firmly bound to table and
the patient, With his canine attachment
was taken to his cot. The operation
lasted three hours. Stmulants and
morphine were ven to the dog and
man, and both speed ly came out OF the
anesthetic condition and suffered but
little from the shock.
The dog made frantic efforts to re-
lease itself, but finally came to the con-
clusion that all efforts in this direction
was useless and became quiet as
lamb.
| THE ARTIFICIAL CONNECTION
Was continued for two weeks under the
most antiseptic conditions. Both the
dog and man were watched carefully.
1t was troublesome for the dog to take
spoon victuals gracefully, but it did the
best il could. An examination OF the
the bones showed that union had taken
place after few DAYS, and when it was
deemed strong enough the dog was Civ
en- some ether, and enough bone was
sawed from the leg to make up what
the patient lacked. The dog was then
taken to q place of its own, where
it was given luxurious bed, and the
flesh was drawn over the stump of bone
so as to give the animal as much leg as
possible.
The patients leg was then set. The
new growth of hone was firm, and was
pressed against the bone IN the leg,
bandaged and then done up in the plas-
ter-cast again with the little window
cut in il. Grave doubts were express
ed by many surgeons that union would
take place, but it did, and in an unus-
ually short space of time. The wound
in the leg that had been so long ulcer
ated healed rapidly, and at the end of a
month there was only scar left. The
patient was then able to walk around
the ward on crutches, stepping lightly
on the foot of the bad leg. Last week
the plaster was removed from the leg.
The muscles, of course, were stiff from
inactivity, but the leg was as sound as
the often mentioned dollar. The leg is
about half an inch short, but it is be-
lieved that exercise will remedy this
defect. The patient walks with crutch-
es yet, but the leg is getting stronger
and better every day, and will soon be
well. The dog that lost its leg to save
life is well, and can be seen any day
rum NC around the hospital stable. 1t
shows a great fondness for Scanlon,
which is reciprocated with will. Maybe
the canine does not know how much
good he has done, but he acts as if he
thought the world owed him a good liv-
ing.